WHAT ABOUT FARTING ?
In a healthy gut , gas is produced as a result of fermentation by microbes in the colon or large intestine . This is a normal and necessary part of digestion - and why we all fart ! The question , however , is how much is normal ? Believe it or not , researchers have actually measured this . It seems the range is large , varying from less than half a litre to almost 1.5 litres of gas per day , with most people somewhere in the middle of that range .
Some gases are absorbed through the gut wall and you breathe them out through your lungs , but most of it needs to eliminated via the usual route .
What ’ s interesting is that it is not necessarily the people producing the most gas that experience bloating and discomfort . Some people are especially sensitive to the stretch in the gut caused by gas , while some hardly notice it . For others , it may be that the pockets of gas get trapped rather than absorbed or eliminated .
That begs the question – is it harmful to hold in a fart ? The answer is possibly , although it ’ s really difficult to do research to test this out . What is certain is that the gas has to go somewhere and if you hold it in , the pressure in your gut will build and you are likely to feel uncomfortable . Some gases are absorbed through the gut wall and you breathe them out through your lungs , but most of it needs to eliminated via the usual route .
Unfortunately , farting in company is not considered very social so I ’ m not suggesting you break etiquette rules . Of course you can hold it in for a little while , but if you ’ re feeling discomfort , take yourself for an outdoor walk so you can happily fart away in the open air . Happy gut days !
© Dietitian Connection 14 Infuse | February 2022